


hierarchy

by C0SMICNYU



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: M/M, chanhee sunwoo and hyunjoon have superiority complexes lol, idk they study in the same school, middle class tbz, rich rich rich boys, rich tbz, scholar eric, some cameos from other groups
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26097871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C0SMICNYU/pseuds/C0SMICNYU
Summary: "i never expected myself to be standing in the middle of a restaurant that doesn't serve 5 star michelin food. what even is french fries?!"12 boys from different walks of life collide in ck academy, a school for the elite and gifted.or in which the boys fall for each other despite the differences in social standing.
Relationships: Bae Joonyoung | Jacob/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Choi Chanhee | New/Ji Changmin | Q, Heo Hyunjoon | Hwall/Son Youngjae | Eric, Ju Haknyeon/Kim Sunwoo, Kim Younghoon/Lee Sangyeon, Lee Jaehyun | Hyunjae/Lee Juyeon
Comments: 14
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys!!
> 
> hope you enjoy this story <3
> 
> inconsistent updates bcuz of school but pls bare with me ;-;
> 
> twt: @shinychanhee

“yah, kim sunwoo.” choi chanhee says, nudging his friend. the boy hummed in reply before looking up from his device, eyes glued on the person chanhee was pointing at. a pretty looking boy with a bright smile and twinkling eyes.

“oh? new students?” sunwoo asks, placing his phone in his pocket as he leans on the hood of juyeon’s blue jaguar f-type coupe. “i think so. they look like…” younghoon trails off quietly.

“commoners.” chanhee, sunwoo and hyunjoon say at the same time, younghoon’s eyes widening at their boldness. “you don’t just say that out loud! don’t you have any manners?” kevin reprimands, slapping hyunjoon’s arm lightly.

the black-haired boy merely rolled his eyes, arms crossed in front of his chest. “hyung-” at the sight of kevin’s withering glare, hyunjoon’s abrasive words died in his throat.

“why don’t we try befriending them?” juyeon asks innocently, eyeing the honey blonde that sat in the middle of the courtyard.

“juyeon, honey, your gay is showing.” chanhee says with distaste as he looks at his cuticle bed. “i need a manicure.”

the blue haired boy pouted. “you never know. commoners are usually smart given their need to climb higher up the social hierarchy. jacob hyung is a prime example!”

“god! they’re students like us, guys. just because we’re richer than average, doesn’t make them commoners and don’t drag jacob into this.” kevin says in exasperation.

“richer than average? hyung, our families basically own korea. our families worked for the empires we’re going to inherit. don’t discredit them.” hyunjoon says, eyeing the blonde that grinned at kevin’s angelic boyfriend.

“doesn’t mean we have to undermine the people trying to get to our level either. like you said, our families worked hard to get where we are now. that’s exactly what those people you call commoners are trying to do.”

“i completely understand both your sides but can we hurry it up? i’m gonna be late for my entrepreneurship class.” younghoon says, sunwoo throwing the senior’s backpack at him. sangyeon sighed. “later.” he says before following his boyfriend into the building.

“and we’re gonna be late for biology. catch you guys later.” hyunjoon says, dragging sunwoo behind him.

kevin and juyeon looked at each other before turning their attention to the group of boys.

“ooh, cuties looking here at 12 o’ clock.” eric says, the group turning to kevin and juyeon. jacob laughed. “that cutie on the left is my boyfriend. kev!” he calls out.

kevin and juyeon walked over to the group, the pair wearing prize winning smiles. “hi! i’m moon hyungseo but call me kevin. i’m the arts club president, so you can come to me if you’re interested and i’m also the student council public informations officer.”

“i’m lee juyeon. dance troupe captain and student council secretary.” the blue haired boy says, lowkey staring at the honey blonde that stood beside jacob.

“are you really jacob hyung’s boyfriend?” haknyeon asks shyly. kevin chuckled. “yes, i am.”

“i’m son youngjae or eric, sophomore.” “ju haknyeon from jeju, sophomore as well.” “ji changmin, junior!” “lee jaehyun but you can call me hyunjae instead, senior.”

“welcome to ck. i’m sure you’ll like it here.” juyeon says, taking hyunjae’s hand smaller hand in his. hyunjae gave him a small smile, shaking it firmly. “thanks. maybe we will.” he replies, slowly getting lost in juyeon’s dark eyes.

“okay! we’re gonna be late. you can eye each other later.” changmin says good naturedly, walking into the building with a bright smile. the others trailed after them, all wearing grins. except hyunjae and juyeon, who both sported cheeks tinted pink from embarrassment.

eric walked to his classroom beside haknyeon. “what do you think this schoolyear is going to be like, hyung?” eric asks, the bright smile on his lips never faltering.

haknyeon shrugged. he wasn’t sure what to feel. he may not be the smartest student but he wasn't dumb. the moment he entered the campus, he already knew that the school was elite. no, he already knew the moment the uniform arrived at their doorstep. what kind of normie school would have velvet blazers?

haknyeon was only admitted to this school because his mom saw it fit. she thought that he deserved the highest school money could buy. they weren’t filthy rich but because their pig farm was flourishing, they could afford to splurge on things like haknyeon’s education.

“ooh, i think this is it.” eric says, pointing at the door. “the platinum class.”

unlike haknyeon, eric is riding on a full scholarship because of his baseball skills and exceptional academic standings. plus he’s really kind, so he was hoping that he would be able to make friends.

they entered the classroom and were greeted with silence. 15 pairs of eyes looked at them with a mix of curiosity and belittling.

a freckled boy approached the pair. “new students? i’m felix.” he says, recognizing them as the commoners they saw with jacob earlier.

eric nodded, extending his arm towards the cat boy with a bright smile. “this is ju haknyeon and i’m son youngjae, you can call me eric.”

“oh! you're the scholar and the jeju transferee!” the class president, na jaemin, walks up to the the trio. he shook eric’s hand, wearing a wide smile on his lips that matched the blonde’s. “welcome to ck. don't drop in the first week, okay?” jaemin says, patting haknyeon’s shoulder before walking back to his friends.

“uh, what does that mean?” haknyeon asks for the both of them. felix sighed. “it means scholar boy here is going to be in for the long ride. better toughen yourself up. the people in this school aren't scared of anything, we have money after all. you on the other hand, are an easy target.” he explains, leading them to the seats at the back.

“thanks for the advice.” eric says grimly. “no problem. another word of advice is steer clear from kevin moon’s group. other than that, you're relatively safe with exception of a few shoulder bumps in the hallway.”

haknyeon and eric shared a confused look. kevin and juyeon seemed really nice earlier. they were supposed to ask felix for more details but before they could ask, their teacher entered the classroom. guess they'd have to ask at lunch.


	2. Chapter 2

class started without a hitch and like it always is for new students, eric and haknyeon were called upfront to introduce themselves.

“good morning everyone, i’m son youngjae. you can call me eric. i just moved from los angeles. i play baseball and my favorite subjects are science and english.” eric says, giving the entire class a smile.

hyunjoon watched from the back, tilting his head to the side. “isn't he the commoner with jacob hyung earlier?” sunwoo hummed in response, eyes glued on his device.

“i’m ju haknyeon from jeju. i like dancing. my favorite subject is history.” haknyeon says with a smile but not one as bright or kind as eric’s.

“thank you for that boys. sunwoo, please vacate that seat and move to the empty seat beside the window. eric, take sunwoo’s old seat and haknyeon, take the seat beside sunwoo.” miss jung says, silence greeting her.

sunwoo scoffed. “do you know who i am?” he says, turning his switch off before throwing a glare at the homeroom teacher.

“you're my student. which means you must listen to me.”

“she's new, isn't she?” sunwoo asks the class, everyone responding with a yes. sunwoo shrugged and stood up, following her instructions.

“see you around, miss jung.” he says with a sarcastic smile on his lips. he sat down and haknyeon followed him.

“hm, jeju boy? you look cute.” sunwoo says unabashed, hands already fiddling with the game. haknyeon didn’t know what to respond. “thanks?” he muttered in confusion, not sure what to say. he didn't show it, but he found sunwoo extremely handsome. if only he wasn't that rude, he would've been a complete catch.

haknyeon just shook his head and turned his attention to the teacher. he couldn't afford to be swayed by a rich pretty boy.

meanwhile, eric took a seat in sunwoo’s old seat. he settled in and turned to his new seat mate, offering a handshake. “i’m eric. i’m looking forward to this school year.”

“hyunjoon and i suggest you tone the fake enthusiasm down, its unflattering.”

eric’s smile faltered. “but it's not fake…”

hyunjoon shrugged. “if it isn't, then your cheeks must be splitting open at the amount of smiles you've been serving. it looks awfully engineered, son youngjae. we grew up in a society where facades are important. i can see through you like looking through a window.”

eric’s smile got completely wiped off his face. was he being too enthusiastic? at that moment, eric knew to steer clear of hyunjoon.

the morning classes ended without much of a problem, aside from the fact that eric’s former enthusiasm was completely wiped off. he walked to the cafeteria beside haknyeon and felix, haknyeon inquiring about kevin moon’s group.

“who is a part of this group and why should we steer clear?” haknyeon asks, felix giving him a wait sign. they followed the freckled boy to an empty table a distance away from kevin’s.

“those are kevin moon’s friends. why should you leave them alone? it's because they're rich. like crazy rich asians type of rich.” felix says, discreetly pointing a fry at what looked like a couple at the table. “let’s start with the eldest of their group. lee sangyeon, family owns a huge chain of restaurants worldwide. they also own a bunch of stocks in numerous companies and businesses, so yeah. they're rich. next is his boyfriend, kim younghoon. his family owns the successful high-end clothing line, hiraya. like every rich family, they also have a shit ton of investments in different companies.”

a shocked expression appears on eric’s face. “as in, **the** hiraya?”

felix nodded. “he's also a model and a brand ambassador for numerous cosmetics and clothing companies. so, he isn't at school often.”

“next we have lee juyeon. dance troupe captain-” “and student council secretary. yeah. we talked to him and kevin this morning. they seemed really nice.” haknyeon says. he looks at the entrance and grinned upon seeing hyunjae and changmin. he waved them over, the pair taking a seat beside them.

“this is felix. he's giving us a rundown on kevin’s group.”

“ooh, nice to meet you. i’m changmin, junior.”

“hyunjae, senior.”

“nice to meet you. where was i? oh yeah. juyeon and kevin aren't really that mean. it's the other three you should fear.”

eric’s mind brought him back to the conversation he had with hyunjoon this morning. “before we touch on that subject, let's talk about juyeon first. his family is old money, their wealth coming from a long line of investments and business partnerships. his parents were put into an arranged marriage and out cake juyeon. he’s got a model physique, so he goes with younghoon sometimes. he’s a really talented dancer too, been competing since he was young.”

hyunjae digested this information, his gaze never leaving juyeon's inky blue undercut hair.

“next is kevin moon. his parents are huge real estate moguls. they just moved here 2 years ago and have already dominated most of the real estate scene. he's a talented artist too. his boyfriend, jacob bae, is also a scholar like you eric. he got in cause of his prowess in 2 sports and his academic success. which is why their relationship was so controversial when it hit the social scene.”

“next is choi chanhee. he's one of the three you should be most scared of. don’t be fooled by his pastel pink hair and pretty face. he’s an absolute genius and it's rumored that he even hacked into the secret files of north korea.”

the group gaped at felix before turning to the pretty boy with powder pink hair who was smiling at something sunwoo said.

“other than that, his family owns a lot of hospitals and most of his family members are doctors, lawyers, engineers or politicians. he’s also good at singing and has great fashion taste. he owns adora along with hyunjoon.”

“next is heo hyunjoon. their family made a splash on the social scene 3 years ago. his mom is known for marrying rich men and she's absolutely gorgeous. every time her husbands die, the riches are left to her and hyunjoon. nobody says it out loud, but everyone thinks she murders them. she’s scarily smart and knows what to invest in and what not to. she's really supportive of hyunjoon and chanhee’s line to the point she funded their first collection despite chanhee’s protests.”

“adora? that's a big name, almost as big as hiraya.” eric says, completely updated on the high-end fashion scene.

“yup. anyway, we’ve hit the last member and easily the scariest one, kim sunwoo. not only is his family rich, they also have a lot of connections in the underground.”

“underground, meaning… those illegal stuff?” changmin asks, popping a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

“precisely. their family is old money like juyeon’s, branching from a long line of wealthy people that invested in businesses. the key difference is that sunwoo’s family also dabbled in illegal businesses. oh, let me reword that. they basically own the underground. sunwoo is basically untouchable. which is why miss jung shouldn't have crossed him earlier.”

“is he gonna get her killed?!” haknyeon asks, panic filling his eyes. felix chuckled. “heavens no. by illegal businesses, i meant hits on corrupt people, busting sex traffickers, putting down drug dealers. basically, the shit cops never get done. he would probably get her shifted to another section, but he would never hurt anyone. he has a younger sister after all.”

“so, they're basically good people with a lot of money?” hyunjae clarifies.

“their entire group basically owns korea. i just suggested you stay away because there are a lot of people vying to become their spouses. after all, they are the richest bachelors right now.”

“how would we get in their way?” changmin asks innocently.

“word gets around. juyeon seems to have his eyes set on you, hyunjae. better expect a bunch of threats soon.”

“we literally just met this morning?” hyunjae says, confusion filling his being along with a wave of concern.

“juyeon doesn't shake hands with anybody. his immune system is weak, so he prefers to keep things to himself. the handshake was more than enough, the gooey eyes you shared was just a bonus.” felix says before standing up, a smirk on his lips.

“well, that's that. welcome to ck academy!”


	3. Chapter 3

afternoon classes hit and honestly speaking, changmin wasn't really fond of school. what he’s really excited about is the club meeting after classes.

he already met the dance troupe captain and he seemed nice. maybe that meant the other members would be nice too. so when their 2nd to the last subject ended, he felt even more giddy as the time he would be able to dance was getting close.

their final subject was calculus and changmin sucked at calculus. he sighed when the teacher entered the classroom with kevin’s friend, chanhee, beside him.

the pink haired boy scanned the classroom and spotted the empty seat next to changmin. he eyed changmin for a few seconds before taking long strides towards the table and sitting beside him.

class started and it was going well until they actually had to apply the formulas and solve problems.

changmin gripped the hair on both sides of his head, glaring at the math worksheet that laid on his table. he took a quick glance at chanhee who was breezing through the worksheet like it was nothing.

‘guess he really is a genius.’ changmin thought, feeling more dejected by the second. he tried to rack his brain and solve the problems cause of he doesn't, he wouldn't be able to attend the club meeting after class.

he quietly whined in frustration, grabbing chanhee’s attention. the pink haired boy noticed the twisted look on his seatmate’s face. ‘isn't he supposed to be a scholar? why can't he answer the problems? this is calculus for babies.’ chanhee thinks.

but then he remembered the look on juyeon’s face as he talked about the introduction video of changmin and how good of a dancer he is.

_ “i swear! he’s a really good dancer. he’s as good as me!” juyeon exclaims, eliciting snorts and scoffs from his friends. “you're the dance troupe captain. how can someone like him match up to you?” sunwoo says, a smirk on his lips. _

_ “he really is good.” younghoon says, vouching for the younger. “i’m sending the video to you later. why do you think he got a scholarship? the school wouldn't take him in only based on his grades. this is an elite school.” _

_ “even then, his math grades aren't the best and he's not that bright but he really is a great dancer.” sangyeon says. _

_ “chanhee! he's your classmate. help him if he needs it. please, i really want him on the team.” juyeon pleads, puppy eyes sent towards his pink haired friend. _

_ chanhee glared at him. “he’s not my classmate but i can switch for you.” _

_ “yes! you’re the best!” juyeon exclaims, engulfing the boy in a hug. “i’ll purchase the entire wardrobe of the next season’s fashion for you!” _

_ “you better.” chanhee says grumpily as he sent the message for a class switch. _

now he sat beside a frustrated ji changmin. he scowled. juyeon owes him big time.

“you just have to square that number and proceed to use the formula.” chanhee instructs, changmin looking up in surprise. “uh, thank you.” he replies and does as he's told, finally getting the answer after 15 minutes of staring at the paper blankly.

they both turned their papers in and left the classroom, changmin stopping chanhee before he got too far. “wait! i just want to say thank you.” he says with a dimpled smile.

the pink haired boy rolled his eyes. “i didn’t do it for you. i did it for juyeon. he was so adamant on having you on the dance troupe and if you disappoint him and fail to reach my expectations, you might have to say goodbye to your scholarship.”

changmin’s smile didn't falter. he may not be an academically inclined student because he was confident in his dance skills. “i’ll be sure to put on a show.”

“make sure you're not all talk. juyeon even said you're as good as him and that's heavy praise. juyeon’s been dancing since we were kids and a lot of people have complimented him across the world.”

“are you coming to watch the auditions?”

“i have no choice.”

“i’ll be going ahead to prepare. see you there!” changmin says before running in the direction of the auditorium. chanhee watched him jog away before pulling his phone out. 

**princess peach** : where the hell are you

**moonlight boy** : we’re already in the auditoriummm

**moonlight boy:** quickkk get your dainty ass here

he sighed and walked towards the auditorium, extremely high expectations set for ji changmin.

he entered the huge room set for multiple purposes. a bunch of people already scattered around in different seats, waiting for the dance troupe auditions.

chanhee scanned the crowd before spottin his friends sitting up front, kevin talking to a familiar looking boy. he shrugged it off and strutted towards them, taking the seat between sunwoo and younghoon.

“you're late.” younghoon says. “i had to tutor ji changmin. he had absolutely no clue about what we were answering. that was calculus for babies. i swear to god. if he isn't half as good as juyeon makes him look, i'm going to snap everyone who backed him up in half.” chanhee replies.

“so what? it was just helping someone in need. don't you feel your pitch black soul turn a slightly lighter color of black?” sunwoo teases.

“chanhee’s soul is pink, sunwoo. your soul is black.” sangyeon says, the left side of his lip turned up in a lopsided smirk.

chanhee stopped himself from letting out a string of horrible words directed at his friend. he opted to just swallow all the acrid words and watch the audition that finally started. 

but then he quickly got bored and turned to look at kevin who was conversing with a bunch of guys who he then realized were the commoners from the parking lot.

“are those the commoners from this morning?” chanhee whispers to hyunjoon, discreetly pointing in their direction.

the black haired boy nodded. “ji changmin’s friends.”

“our social butterfly is at work again, huh?” chanhee says.

“yup. i heard juyeon even shared goo goo eyes with that honey blonde, lee hyunjae. they even shook hands.” hyunjoon says, a sly smirk on his lips and a mischievous glint in his eyes as the both of them threw daggers in the boy’s direction.

“interesting. i wonder what got juyeonnie hooked. i mean his nose is pretty and he doesn't look like a commoner. aside from the atrocious clothing, i would say all of them are actually decent looking.”

hyunjoon side eyed his older friend. “getting soft, chanhee hyung? admitting someone looks decent?”

“i have a keen eye and deep appreciation for all things beautiful. i’m not saying they're beautiful or show stopping. i'm just saying they look decent, much like everyone else. nothing near us, nowhere near us.”

“there's chanhee hyung. you disappeared for a quick second there.”

“mhm, now let's see what the hype is about ji changmin.” chanhee says, just as the boy entered the stage with a bright smile much like the one he gave chanhee earlier as thanks for his help.

the music started and chanhee narrowed his eyes, anticipating every second of the performance. he watched every move changmin made, the fluid motions and sudden sharp movements molded together in perfect harmony.

he wasn't sure what drew him in to performance. was it the dimpled smile the boy wore as he perfomed, not faltering for even a second? or the contrasting moves he combined to form the choreography? or was it the confidence he exuded as he performed for a crowd of more or less 150 students. all of them have seen performances from different award winning dancers and yet they were all captivated by the way he moved.

a small smile appeared on chanhee’s lips. maybe he could see the potential his friends saw in this boy. maybe, just maybe, he could set aside the fact that he absolutely sucked at calculus and focus on the fact that he really is an amazing dancer.

the song ended and cheers erupted from the students, changmin bowing before exiting the stage.

our rich boys sat star struck, fed with sheer talent in the form of ji changmin. 


	4. Chapter 4

the next day was absolutely normal, at least in hyunjae’s definition of normal.

despite only meeting the boys the morning before, they immediately clicked and found themselves feeling proud of changmin.

sure, they believed that he was a great dancer. but seeing it up close was just phenomenal. the raw emotion and passion exerted into the dance was something you wouldn't be able to appreciate when you watch it from the screen. which is why they found themselves extremely lucky to have witnessed such an amazing performance up close.

anyway after the troupe auditions, they all went their separate ways home.

now it's the second day for him in this odd school. not even a week in and he already knew how the power line worked and how the hierarchy was set. much like felix said, the 7 boys truly stood at the top of the food chain.

he entered the school, already expecting the worst thanks to felix’s warning. glares were sent in his direction and whispers were made about him. good thing he wasn't easily affected by futile attempts of demeaning him. instead he placed a slight smile on his lips as a means of mocking everyone who tried to pull him down.

as someone raised by a strong willed woman like his single mom, it was integrated into him to be unfazed by these types of people.

so he strutted through the hallways and into his classroom without a care. he took his seat beside jacob, the angelic boy smiling at him. “good morning.” jacob says.

“morning.” hyunjae replies, sending an equally bright smile towards his seat mate.

he propped his book open just as younghoon took his seat on sangyeon’s left and hyunjae’s right, a small space separating their tables.

“i heard whispers in the hallways, hyunjae.” younghoon says quietly before taking a sip out of sangyeon’s caramel macchiato. “they were really nasty whispers by the way.”

hyunjae shrugged in reply. “i don't really care. i mean it's not like those whispers can affect me by any means. i can take a bunch of baseless rumors and verbal punches anyway.” he says nonchalantly, continuing his browsing through his social sciences book.

younghoon, sangyeon and jacob shared impressed looks. not everyone had this type of personality and maybe this is what could set him apart from the rest of juyeon’s suitors: hyunjae actually had something he stood for.

“hm, i'm glad you think that way. mental resilience is something you should have since you are an impoverished person studying in a school for the rich.” sangyeon says.

“thanks.” hyunjae replies, not minding the passive aggressive statement. sangyeon looked mildly offended because the honey blonde didn’t even take his eyes off the book. younghoon snickered at his boyfriend before earning a smack on his arm along with a sharp glare.

before the couple could fight, their professor entered their room and class finally started.

juyeon wasn't the type to interact with people. being an absolutely sickly and sheltered kid, he was taught to never be too careless about his body and health.

hospital trips, hospital gowns and iv bags were his bestfriend before he met chanhee and the rest. now lee hyunjae suddenly appears and sweeps him off his feet upon first glance.

they haven't even talked to each other, other than the introduction and handshake they exchanged with one another. he really didn't know what drew him in. he's guessing it's the beautiful doe eyes and gentle smile that was a huge contrast to his sharp nose and jawline.

it might be odd that he would immediately be whipped over a guy he only talked to once but there was something about hyunjae that screams comfort. juyeon really wanted to know him more and if possible, he wanted to know hyunjae more intimately.

it sounds absolutely sickening and like something out of a story book but he truly felt that way about hyunjae. love at first sight? maybe it does exist.

as he sat in his biology class, he watched hyunjae’s class do physical education on the grounds.

juyeon would be lying if he said hyunjae wasn't fit cause holy shit, he is built. his well defined abs showed when his shirt lifted after he shot a goal into the soccer post.

the cell theory could wait. the current biology he's examining is lee hyunjae and his chocolate abs. he's well aware that he sounds like an absolutely whipped dude. he wouldn't deny it. this is lee hyunjae they're talking about.

2 days in and he's already this whipped. juyeon shook his head when he felt kevin tap his shoulder lightly. “to quote chanhee, “honey, your gay is showing.””

juyeon groaned and lightly hit his head on his desk before looking up at his friend. “do i look whipped?”

“like the fluffiest whipped cream in the world.”

juyeon groaned again, burying his face in between his arms. kevin just chuckled and pat his friend on the back. “don't worry juyeon. we won't judge. he's talented in his line of expertise. that's enough to pass our high criteria for people you're allowed to date. plus he's cute and has really good grades, easily amongst the top of their year. you chose well, young padawan.”

juyeon looked up hopefully. “really? chanhee won't judge me for my choices? hyunjoon won't scrutinize every single dirty part of hyunjae’s past that i’m sure chanhee will dig from the depths of internet archives? that sunwoo won't glare at hyunjae until he wishes he were 6 feet under instead?”

kevin stayed silent for a while, sure that all three would do exactly what juyeon said. the hopeful look disappeared from juyeon’s eyes, knowing kevin cake to the same conclusion as he did.

“see? remember what they did to jacob when you first became exclusive?”

“we do not talk of that, remember?” kevin says with an icy glare, immediately shutting juyeon up.

“anyway we don't know what's gonna happen. if only you saw chanhee’s expression yesterday. we both know his deep appreciation for art and everything that exudes beauty and elegance. changmin portrayed everything chanhee admires and appreciates. he may not show it but changmin made a very good impression. which means that's one down from hyunjae’s group that has been accepted by the terrible three.”

“sunwoo’s captain for the soccer team right? if hyunjae applies and they become teammates, do you think sunwoo would be open to accepting him as my significant other?”

kevin chuckled. “take it easy, yeon. ask the guy out before you plan how you're gonna place them in the hearts of our friends. okay?”

juyeon sighed. “you're right. but doesn't it seem awfully quick? 2 days in and i'm already asking him out?”

“love waits for no one, juyeon. better shoot your shot before the ball rolls into a different court.”

juyeon took this metaphor to heart. “got you.” “glad you get me.”

“but i'm courting him first.”

kevin smiled, knowing where his courting first idea came from. “good luck then. i’m sure he won't go against it.”

“i hope so.”


	5. Chapter 5

"i don't think you should be playing with that." haknyeon says, concern evident in his manner of speaking. felix's words of warning sat in the back of his mind, a small sliver of fear creeping into his system.

sunwoo turned his body and faced haknyeon, raising the beaker to eye level. "why not?" he asks with a blank expression, eyes staring straight into haknyeon's.

"that's acid."

"so?"

haknyeon sighed and just raised his hands in surrender. sunwoo chuckled and placed the beaker down, obviously enjoying how haknyeon reacts to his teasing. "your reactions are cute, jeju boy."

haknyeon's cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink, flushed in embarrassment. "do you find my torment enjoyable?" he blurted out, immediately regretting a few seconds later.

sunwoo laughed. "i actually do." he replies with a smirk, a mischievous look appearing on his face. "you're quite fun to tease."

the jeju boy scoffed. "are we gonna get anything done with you as my partner?"

"i'll have you know, i'm quite proficient in my studies. i am admitted to this school on a scholarship." sunwoo says, absolutely offended that haknyeon would think he was some sort of rich dunce.

haknyeon's brow raised. "a scholarship? but the tuition fee for this school is just pocket money for someone with your kind of financial status."

"true but intellect is of greatest importance to our family. money and power isn't enough to make things move after all. one needs to be smart for things to start."

haknyeon agreed with what sunwoo said. the greatest men and women that have ever walked on earth all had something in common and it wasn't wealth. it was intellect.

upon hearing those words leave sunwoo's lips, haknyeon felt his view on the boy change. he felt a slight connection in terms of being scholars in an elite school. they even had the same thing riding on these scholarships and no, it isn't the money either. it's the approval and pride their parents have for them.

silence resonated before haknyeon turned to sunwoo with an apologetic smile. "i'm sorry for immediately assuming you were some sort of privileged rich kid." he says.

sunwoo scoffed, a cocky smile rising onto his lips. "i am a privileged rich kid. being smarter than the average kid doesn't take that title away from me."

" _and he's back_." haknyeon thought, rolling his eyes. sunwoo quietly chuckled at his expression before returning his attention the discussion.

class ended without a hitch and haknyeon packed his bag. sunwoo watched him from across the classroom, standing beside hyunjoon. "why are you staring at the jeju boy?" hyunjoon asks, eyeing the doe eyed boy.

sunwoo smirked. "he's... interesting. quite interesting indeed."

hyunjoon rolled his eyes. "god, all of you are so whipped. it hasn't even been a week yet!"

sunwoo laughed. "not whipped, joon. i'm just interested in his character. you don't meet these kind of people everyday." he says as they walk to their next class.

"what do you mean?" hyunjoon asks, opening his locker to get his stuff for his next class.

"i mean people who don't cower at the sight of us or at the sound of our names." sunwoo says, spotting the tiny group of scholars gathered in front of changmin's locker. "they're intellectual and talented, capable of racking in recognition for the school."

hyunjoon sighed and took a glance at the group as well. "i don't understand what you see in them but i'll humor you."

sunwoo pat his shoulder. "maybe you'll find that eric boy interesting too. he is part of the baseball team and i overheard he's gonna try out for the dance team as well, along with the rest of their group. so better suck it up. who knows, you might become troupe mates soon."

with that, sunwoo walked away from a seething hyunjoon. he laughed as he walked down the hallway, reveling in the anger that hyunjoon directed towards him.

after he disappeared into the corner, hyunjoon sent a glare towards the small group of scholars. they all turned in his direction, shivering under that fierce look. "we better go before he comes over and smacks us into the next week." haknyeon says, pushing his friends forward and leaving hyunjoon by himself in the hallway.


End file.
